GAA pundits and fans alike are rounding on the GAA for their continuing deal with Sky Sports.

After signing an initial three-year deal from 2014-16, the arrangement was extended to 2021 and with Sky afforded more attractive fixtures this year it has become increasingly controversial over the course of this Championship campaign.

On Saturday night, Sky had exclusive rights for the Kilkenny-Waterford hurling qualifier tie, arguably the highest profile knockout game of this year so far, which meant that only a very small fraction of the population could watch it at home.

Kilkenny’s Padraig Walsh tackles Waterford’s Mikey Kearney

Former Kilkenny star and current RTE pundit Eddie Brennan says the GAA are on a "slippery slope" with their Sky Sports deal.

“I have Sky Sports myself. I didn’t go to the match and I watched it on Sky myself, but for me, when you look at it what it is, it is disappointing," Brennan said.

Eddie Brennan in Croke Park to launch the ‘EirGrid Moments in Time’ campaign, as part of its timing partnership with the GAA (Image: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile)

“We are on a slippery slope, when you look at the boxing and everything else that Sky Sports televise, are we going to lean towards pay-per-view? And technically speaking, it is because you are paying for the right to watch our national game.

“The point has to be that we often talk about grassroots and growing the GAA and we often talk about that side of things and if we are going to restrict people from watching our national sport, that’s an issue. "